Following the PMO’s intervention to fast-track linear projects like roads, railway lines and power transmission lines, the Ministry of Environment & Forests has agreed to relax its guidelines for clearance of forest land falling in such project areas.

The MoEF has agreed to “facilitate phased preparation and processing” of linear project proposals. It has, however, added that a “technically feasible alternative alignment” for segments that fall in forest land will have to be provided. The user agency must resort to this alternate alignment in case forest clearance is not granted.

NHAI likely to take ministry to SC today for ‘failing to comply with delinking order’

The tussle between the environment ministry and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over who caused the alleged delays in approvals in highway projects came to a head on Tuesday with the NHAI threatening to take the ministry to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, accusing it of failure to comply with an earlier court directive to de-link forest and environmental clearances.

Govt keen on ensuring fuel security doesn’t come in way of growth revival plans

Concerned that fuel scarcity could hamper plans to revive economic growth, the government is planning to further relax green clearance norms for mining projects. Coal mining operations, which are stuck due to delays in forest clearance, may now get approvals on fast-track basis from the environment ministry even if less than 50% of the population of affected villages give their nod for the project.

Upset over the failure of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to frame forest clearance norms as directed by the Supreme Court and the resultant delays in road projects, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planing to take up the matter with the court afresh. The authority’s move comes after it secured a favourable opinion from both the law ministry and the Cabinet secretariat, official sources told FE.

Delays in environmental approvals — usually attributed to the existing policy of linking the same to forest clearances — and procedural issues have affected implementation of national highway projects worth R23,000 crore. This is at a time the Prime Minister’s Office and finance ministry are asking all wings of the government to make concerted efforts to speed up infrastructure projects to accelerate economic growth.

In a bid to find alternate source of bauxite for the Lanjigarh alumina refinery of the Vedanta Alumininium Ltd (VAL), which is shut down for want of raw material since December 5, Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) has decided to apply for mining lease of Karlapat bauxite deposits soon.

OMC had entered into a Mou with VAL for supply of bauxite from its Niyamgiri mines in Kalahandi district, but the plan was derailed by persistent protests by tribal community and green activists, finally leading to the cancellation of forest clearance for the mining activity by Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) in August 2010.

It was named the National Investment Board (NIB), Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s audacious and, some would say, over-the-top move to set up a one-stop clearing agency for big economic projects.

In a move that would help coal sector push up output, Union ministry of environment and forests (MOEF) has done away with the requirement of holding a public hearing for getting environmental clear

Faces Hurdles In Environment Clearance In Andhra Pradesh

There seems to be no end to the trouble of the state PSU, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC). Under fire from activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal for an alleged scam of Rs 20,000 crores for its offshore gas exploration in KG Basin, off Andhra coast, the premier bluechip company is now facing the ire of the Andhra Pradesh government for failing to take forest and wildlife clearance.

It has asked GSPC executives to “stop work” of laying down a crucial submarine pipeline to take gas from KG Basin to its onshore gas terminal (OGT) via an area which is 10 km of the Corianga sanctuary without necessary clearances. It asks them to explain “why action shouldn’t be taken” for violating forest and wildlife laws.